Stories

Here is a collection of stories, testimonials and experiences of past residents during their stay, and active volunteers and supporters of "A Port In The Storm".

Meet Lyle & Kim

When you travel to Winnipeg for cancer treatments, your life can seem very uncertain. Any comfort of home will help you feel relaxed and allow you to focus on getting better. For Lyle and Kim, that comfort came in many forms at A Port in the Storm...

My husband was rushed to Winnipeg suddenly for neurosurgery. Due to limited room availability I was forced to move from place to place. It was expensive and emotionally stressful. This house would have been perfect especially during such a difficult time in our lives.

Bev Beck, The Pas

Meet Kim Klassen

John's diagnosis has been difficult.. Nothing prepares you for such news. Everything you thought to be true..... seems to be taken away. Cancer is devastating....watching my husband endure such excruciating treatment is heart breaking...

I work as a social worker in an emergency department of a hospital and can say that there is evidence of this need made apparent on a daily basis.

Annette Stadt,Winnipeg

Meet the Trubiak's

We would like to express our gratitude for the wonderful experience we had staying eight long weeks with A Port in the Storm. We always felt as if we were at home. The friends and memories we made will last forever. A very special thanks to Marion, Cecile and volunteers for your care and support during our stay. You are all wonderful people and this truly is "A Port in the Storm". With love and appreciation, take care!

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We feel without A Port in the Storm it would have been a difficult journey for us.

Meet Judith and Vern Mann

In 1978 my husband Vern was diagnosed with throat cancer. He had to receive his treatments in Winnipeg. He went through three months of radiation and by September that year, he had to have half of his vocal cords removed...

Without this service, this stressful/scary time would have been much more difficult.

Meet Rosanna

In early 2008, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and so began my long dance with this disease and its subsequent treatments. I live in Yellowknife and though we have an excellent medical system here, it is unable to provide some the more specialized parts of cancer treatments. The closest facility to us is the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, a 90 minute flight away or an 18 hour car drive...

Meet Yvette

My name is Yvette and I just turned 60 in April. This birthday was very special compared to my 44th birthday in 1995 when I was in the hospital for a biopsy. After weeks of tests, scans, bone marrow biopsy I was told I had stage 4 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma...

I donated my kidney to a family member. Imagine being away from your home for 5 months. Combined with the medical complications this was both stressful and enormously expensive for us.

Thompson family

Meet Marilyn Wison

I was diagnosed with cancer in September 2012. After my surgery in November I stayed at A Port in the Storm and I have been back several times since. I just want people to know A Port in the Storm was an integral part of my cancer journey...

My mommy's house is good and will help a lot of people.

Josh Krieser

Meet Scott Boyes

I was diagnosed with cancer in September 2012. After my surgery in November I stayed at A Port in the Storm and I have been back several times since. I just want people to know A Port in the Storm was an integral part of my cancer journey...

My dad had multiple myeloma and had two stem cell transplants. Each transplant provided tremendous hope yet trepidation that the next 100 days would be spent far from home, often alone. A Port in the Storm will be just that...a place to call home while you battle your storm and await renewed sunshine.

Lori Hawkins,Stonewall

Meet Mervin and Sharon Metail

A Port in the Storm has drastically reduced the financial burden of our lengthy stay in Winnipeg for cancer treatments. The warm environment, with friendly, knowledgable, dedicated staff, was second to none.

We sincerely hope others will donate to help those individuals in a state of crisis and helplessness who need A Port in the Storm. We thoroughly enjoyed our stat at our "home away from home"!

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Not all people have the opportunity to live close to medical care, therefore we support this project.

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It's a wonderful concept and there is a great need. We have transportation budgets but absolutely nothing for accommodation.

Drew Lockhart,Former C.E.O. Nor-Man Regional Health Authority

Meet John Klassen

I was diagnosed with Leukemia this past May. One minute I was home, cutting grass, the next we were on our way to Winnipeg. I haven't been home since. We still have several months in the city ahead of us...

We continually have inquiries about accommodations in Winnipeg for cancer patients that need to stay in the city for treatment.

Noreen Tempelton,Office Coordinator,Canadian Cancer Society - Brandon

Meet Glen Wiedermann

On January 4, 2013, I was diagnosed with Acute Myloid Leukemia which came as a total shock to me and my family. After a month stay in hospital, I was released to continue my treatment on an outpatient basis...

I have been a cancer nurse for many years. I have seen this problem over and over again and have witnessed many similar stories. It creates enormous physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial burdens. Our mission is to make her dream a reality.

Joanne Loughery,Past President,A Port in the Storm

Meet Barb Krieser

This house was my daughter's dream. She spent many months in Winnipeg during her cancer treatments and she would often say she did not want others to endure the financial and emotional stress that she went through.

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A Port in the Storm is a wonderful concept in modern health care. It seems to a win-win for all concerned. It certainly feels that way for our family.

Anonymous cancer patient

I think this is a wonderful idea. Not only would I have stayed at the house myself, I have met lots of others who need such a service, not just as a place to stay but as a place where patients like me could support each other and where family support people could take a break.